Chapter Text
Whatever it was they had expected in the aftermath of the earthquake, it wasn’t the Byers to be back in Hawkins.
And at the best timing too, as there was a town-wide lockdown set in place the moment the fire was cleared. It was actually Will who let it slip that they were currently homeless. Which, in hindsight, makes a lot of sense. It’s not like they came planning to stay; they were just bringing Mike back home.
The boys were sitting at the table talking with Lucas and Dustin about Max’s condition- apparently, Lucas said she was caught off guard at the wrong time and got injured by the falling debris. That poor boy felt so responsible for something he had no control over when Will said it in passing, “Well, we’re gonna see if we can get an apartment… or something… I don’t really know.” Karen looked up from her book in the living room at the boys, then over to Ted, who’d also stopped reading and was looking at Karen, clearly having also heard what the youngest Byers admitted. The couple shared a look, a silent conversation, and then went back to reading their respective material, allowing the boys to continue to talk uninterrupted.
When Joyce came to pick Will and Jonathan up, Karen ushered her inside, “You’re just in time for dinner, actually! Holly! Table honey! So is the dust still thick out there?” She pulled Joyce into a conversation, the mother of two not noticing any difference in her friend’s demeanor, and instead simply launching into telling her about the day and her search for work. By the time Holly got the table set with Will’s help, Jonathan and Nancy had reemerged from her room, still talking about something they’d been on since they came down, and Mike was rambling to Will about his theory on what the particles could be, and if or if not Mr. Clarke would answer his phone if they called him.
Joyce had finally finished explaining her drive down from California by the time Ted reemerged from the basement, giving Karen a small pat on her elbow before pressing a kiss to her cheek, walking past her, saying he was going to go check for sheets. That got Joyce’s attention, as she watched him walk to the staircase, narrowly missing Will and Mike running down the stairs to claim their spot at the table for dinner. “Sheets?” Karen waved her off before handing her a pitcher of milk, “We’ll talk about that later.” And with that, Karen took the casserole to the table, smacking Mike’s hand when he tried to pick at it before she could serve it.
Dinner was eventful, between Mike and Will and their antics, Jonathan throwing in his two cents, and Nancy also throwing in her opinion it seemed that the ends of the table were making enough noise to keep the neighborhood awake. Holly tapped Ted’s arm, asking him for something that he nodded, before helping her with as Karen explained some of what happened while Joyce was gone- or at least her understanding of it. “I suppose the lockdown is going to keep you guys here then, isn’t it?” Joyce pushed some of her green beans around on her plate, not entirely sure how to answer it, “ummmm yeah. Yeah, it is…”
She missed the look the couple gave each other across the table before Ted leaned over to explain something to Holly softly, their conversation unheard in the mass chaos of the teens. Karen nodded with a little smile before patting Joyce’s hand, “Well then, I guess we’re gonna need to go get some clothes for you guys.” Joyce looked up at her with confusion, as Karen took a sip from her wine glass, “Clothes?” Karen nodded, putting her glass back down. “I’m going to assume you guys don’t want to live in one pair of clothes, besides me and Hols need something to do tomorrow, so we’ll take you clothes shopping before we go help at the shelter.” Joyce blinked, clearly not catching on as fast as Karen assumed she would.
“You guys are staying here for now, or at least until the lockdown ends and you figure out California and what you want to do.” Joyce whipped her head around to Ted, who wasn’t looking at her, and was instead batting away Mike’s elbow from smacking him before he continued, “hence, the clothes, and if you guys need anything else.” Joyce looked back at Karen to confirm it, and she shrugged, half smiling, “Well, that was a blunt way of putting it, but yes. You guys are staying with us. And no, we won’t take no for an answer.” “Wait, Will’s staying here?!?!” Mike stopped his conversation entirely at that news, “I mean, yes, Will, but also Joyce and Jonathan.” Ted deadpanned, getting a huff from Mike and a chuckle from Will. “We wouldn’t want to impose,” Jonathan butted in, but stopped when Nancy put her hand on his knee, getting his attention. “Not imposing if we’re offering.” She reasoned, before looking between her parents, catching a look but not adding anything on.
Joyce looked back at her plate, before a small smile spread on her lips, “It would be nice to get a good sleep.” “Good, then sleep well tonight, and tomorrow we’ll work out logistics. And for tonight, Joyce, you can use some of my sleep clothes, Will can use Mike's, and Jon can use Ted’s.” the tone of the conversations shifted after that, the boys were now talking at rapid speed about how to organize the room, Jonathan was talking to Nancy about trying to find a job while they were home, and Joyce was talking to Karen about sleeping arrangements when Holly looked up at her Dad again, “so are they living with us forever now?” she asked. Ted looked down at her, before ruffling her hair softly, “No, not forever, Hol’s. just for a little bit, until the lockdown ends.”
When that was, was beyond any of them. But it couldn’t be more than a month- right?